The dismissal of Omar Everleny Perez adds to a chillier mood that has settled over much of Cuba as the country's leaders try to quash the widespread jubilation that greeted President Barack Obama's historic trip to the island last month.The Cuban Communist Party's twice-a-decade Congress ended Tuesday after four days of officials issuing tough warnings about the need to maintain a defensive stance against what they called the United States' continuing imperialist aspirations. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez described Obama's visit as an "attack on the foundation of our political ideas, our history, our culture and our symbols." President Raul Castro described the U.S. as an "enemy" seeking to seduce vulnerable sectors of society, including intellectuals and members of Cuba's new private sector.

One of Cuba's most renowned advocates of economic reform has been fired from his University of Havana think tank for sharing information with Americans without authorization, among other alleged violations.

No se si reirme o llorar. Le ronca!....... As part of efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector, the Government will be acquiring durable equipment from Cuba, while also relying on the expertise they have developed in Greenhouse technology.........He added that the watering of crops can also be made easier with technology from the Cubans. "They have irrigation systems that can help small farmers," he said.Hutchinson argued that the Cuban greenhouses are "affordable," and with all the advancements that country has made in agriculture, "we need to look in that direction".

KINGSTON, April 20 (JIS) — As part of efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector, the Government will be acquiring durable equipment from Cuba, while also relying on the expertise they have developed in…

"We see so much potential in Cuba," Blue told USA Today earlier this week. The Louisville businessman has been traveling to Cuba for years, even before the the U.S. began to lift the trade ban it had imposed on the communist island nation more than 50 years ago. "We've done this all over the world, so Cuba is just such a natural, close market. We're big believers in the long-term potential there."

According to the USA Today article, "Rodriguez will find artists in Cuba and funnel them to Blue's BEST company, which will then serve as their agents for events in the U.S. and elsewhere."

However, the article noted that commercial doors between the two countries are not yet entirely open. For example, Blue said his firm could also represent the Cuban artists in Cuba, but if one of the artists performs at an event paid for by the Cuban government, Blue could not receive any compensation for that because it would violate U.S. law.

Regulations passed by the Obama administration allow U.S. companies to hire Cuban workers, and lets those workers establish bank accounts in the U.S. to make it easier to get paid. However, said Carlos Saladrigas, a Cuban-American businessman in Miami and chairman of the Cuba Study Group, there are still matters to be tested.

"The difficulty is that in [the American] system, everything is legal unless it is prohibited," Saladrigas told USA Today. "In Cuba, everything is prohibited unless it is made legal. That leaves Cubans in a legal limbo."

The 33-person cultural delegation visited Cuba's famous University of the Arts, where musicians performed a concert with classical music and folkloric dance performances. Kal Penn, best known as the character Dr Lawrence Kutner on the television series House, said he hopes to establish relationships that will fuel continued creative projects. .......The artists will be in Cuba through Thursday and plan to hold meetings with Cuban government officials and directors of cultural institutions to identify further opportunities for artistic cooperation.